Container and cover



Feb. 15, 1949. c, MAGNESEN 2,461,908

CONTAINER AND COVER Filed April 30, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l 22 INVENTOR.

(mats 0, fl/flGNESE/Y Feb. 15, 1949. c. D. MAGNE SEN CONTAINER AND COVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 30, 1947 INVENTOR;

a W m a 4 n n v a v m w Patented Feb. 15, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 30,

2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of containers and covers therefor;

My invention relates more particularly to the construction of a can and cover for paint or similar materials whereby the cover is removable and replaceable and yet, whenever replaced, capable of providing an effective sealing closure for the paint can.

The principal object of the present invention is to provid an improved construction of paint can, or similar container, and a cover for the same of the type which is removable and replaceable and which will always provide an effective seal for the opening in the paint can when the cover is replaced.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paint can, or similar container, and a cover for the same of such construction that a tapered or funnel-shaped opening will be provided in the container, so that paint or other material therein can be easily poured from the same and the entire contents of the container may be emptied therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paint can, or similar container, having a cover of the type described that is comparatively simple in construction yet highly effective as a sealing medium and capable of long and hard usage without becoming broken or out of order.

In using the aforementioned container and closures for paint or similar materials, after the filling operation they are closed and frequently stacked in columns, perhaps ten high, and remain in storage a considerable length of time. Since the gasket which forms the seal is usually formed of rubber or some similar synthetic or plastic material, it can be seen that the weight of nine filled containers on the lower container would compress the gasket of the lower container to a degree that its use for rescaling would be definitely destroyed. Accordingly, I have provided a construction whereby the weight of the column of containers is taken by the containers, themselves, instead of the sealing gasket. This may be accomplished by means of a plurality of shoulders provided in the neck of the container to limit the downward movement of the retainer ring of the closure. Another method of securing the same result is to provide a circular ridge on the neck of the container, so that the retainer ring can rest upon the same in closed position.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following description, wherein reference is had to the accompanying two sheets of drawings upon which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a container and cover, constructed in accordance with my invention, with a portion of the container and cover broken away in section to more clearly show details thereof;

1947, Serial No. 745,073

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the two parts of the cover broken away to more clearly show details of construction;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the retainer ring from the cover;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a portion of the container with the cover in the position it assumes when it is removed; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the manner in which the neck of the container supports the weight on the container to protect the sealing gasket.

In the embodiment of the invention which I have chosen to illustrate and describe, in the drawings I have shown a cylindrical paint container I0 which may have a bottom wall l2 secured thereto by rolling or otherwise and a top portion M. The container may also have the usual bail I6 connected thereto by means of the two button members l8 upon opposite sides of the container.

The top l4 of the container, as best seen in Fig. 4, has a sleeve portion which is rolled over the upper edge of the container I I1 and an inwardly tapered portion 22 terminating at an edge 24 from which a port on 26 is outwardly bent to form a groove in the neck of the top. The top has a mouth portion 28 continuing upwardly and being bent back upon itself at its upper edge. 30 With this construction I have provided an inwardly directed pouring spout for the container which permits the entire contents of the container to be drained out when it is tilted. This is especially desirable in paint and similar containers in that the entire contents can be used up.

The type of mouth which I have provided is also desirable for the purpose of mixing paints in the container, since all parts of the interior of the container are accessible by means of this construction.

The cover 30 which I provide is formed with a circular ridge 32 about its periphery, the ridge having a plurality of downwardly depending finger members 34. A circular gasket G of rubber, synthetic rubber, plastic or other suitable material having compressibility is adapted to be positioned in the groove 33 formed in the lower side of ridge 32. The finger members 34 have a ridge 36 intermediate their ends and the lower ends of the same are curled inwardly as shown at 38. The retainer ring 40, which is used to seal the cover in place on the mouth of the container, is provided with a rolled up lower edge 42 and an inwardly turned portion 44 which terminates in a flattened circular shoulder 46. When the retainer ring is pressed down over the cap 30 the ridges 38 on the fingers 34 are pressed into the groove 4| on the top l4 of the container. The action of distorting the ridges 36 of the fingers 34 and forcing the ridges 38 into the groove 4| tends to force the surface 3| of the top 30 outwardly into an arcuate bulge, as shown in Fig. 1, when the cover is in place and the retainer ring is holding it in a sealing position. When the retainer ring 40 is removed, the fingers 34' can be slightly sprung outwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, by pressing the surface 3| of the cap downwardly to form an arcuate bulge as shown in Fig. 4. In this way, the cover can be lifted from the mouth of the container.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 5, it can be seen that when another container l is placed on a closed container, the bottom will rest on the top of retainer ring 40. Since in the position shown in Fig. 5 the closure is in a sealing position, and since further downward movement such asfrom a heavy weight would only press the mouthportion Iii-further through the sealing gasket G, I have provided a plurality of shoulders 56 pressed up and out in the neck portion 22 of the top l4 of the container. With this construction the gasket can only be compressed to a specific distance, thus keeping the gaskets resilient even though a column of containers are stacked upon the lowermost one.

With the construction which I have provided, as herein described, it can be seen that when the retainer ring is pressed down over the cover to hold it ,in'sealing engagement over the mouth of the container, the finger members 34 are extendedso that the circular ridges 38 engage in the groove 4| of the top l4 of the cap. The action of extending the fingers bows out the top 30 of the cover when this takes place. The retainer ring is normally removed by using a putty knife o tbther instrument 50 as a lever balanced on the rolled over edge of the can and extending underthe rolled over edge 42 of the retainer ring to press the same upwardly. After this is done, the cap 30 can be easily removed by pressing in on the surface 3| to bow the top inwardly, so that the fingers 34 are sprung outwardly and the cover is easily lifted off.

From the above and foregoing description, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that I have provided a construction of container and cover'especially adopted for paint,'varnish and kindred material. With the ordinary paint can the only effective seal between the cover and the container once it has been opened is the adhesion on the paint itself between the cover and the container. Frequent opening and closing of the container is made more and more difficult,

due to the increased accumulation of hardened paint about the mouth of the container. my construction, the absence or presence of paint about the lip of the opening of the container is immaterial since the cover, itself, is first loosely fitted over the mouth of the container and then firmly positioned in a sealing condition by means of the retainer ring 40.

I contemplate that changes and modifications may be made in the details shown and I do not 'Wish to be limited in any particular; rather what Idesire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

' 1. A container and closure for paint or similar substances, said container having a cylindrical top of a diameter smaller than the diameter of the container, a tapered throat in said top, a

.[groove about the neck of said top spaced away from the open end thereof and a closure member With adapted to fit over the open end of said top, said closure member having a circular groove into which the neck of said top is positioned, a compressible gasket in said groove, a plurality of downwardly depending fingers extending below the edge of said neck and terminating in curled over edges and a retainer ring having a beaded lower edge positioned over said cover and fastening the curled over edges of said fingers into said groove to seal said cover on said container, the closure member being so constructed that in a sealing position the same is flexed outwardly between said circular groove, and when the retainer ring is removed, the closure member is flexed inwardly to spread the fingers to permit the easy removal of the same and means associated with the neck of said container for preventing complete compressing of said gasket, said means comprising a plurality of equally spaced ledge embossments struck outwardly from the neck of said container against which the lower edge of the retainer ring abuts to afford a descent limit to the beaded lower edge of the retainer ring whereby stacking of weight on said retainer rings may not excessively compress the sealing gasket in said groove.

2. A container and closure for paint or similar substances, said container having a cylindrical top of a diameter smaller than the diameter of the container, a tapered throat in said top, a groove about the neck of said top spaced away from the open end thereof and a closure member adapted to fit over the open end of said top, said closure member having a circular groove into which the neck of said top is positioned, a

compressible gasket in said groove, a plurality of downwardly depending fingers extending below the edge of said neck and terminating in curled over edges and a retainer ring having a beaded lower edge positioned over said cover and fastening the curled over edges of said fingers into said groove to seal said cover on said con- .tainer, the closure member being so constructed that in a sealing position the same is flexed outwardly between said circular groove, and when the retainer ring is removed, the closure member is flexed inwardly to spread the fingers to permit the easy removal of the same and means associated with the neck of said container for preventing complete compressing of said gasket, said means comprising a plurality of shoulders having flat upper surfaces positioned around the neck of said container against which the lower edge of the retainer ring abuts to afford a descent limit to the beaded lower edge of the retainer ring whereby stacking of weight on said retainer rings may not excessively compress the scaling gasket in said groove.

CHARLES D. MAGNESEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 618,718 Norton et a1. Jan. 31, 1889 1,468,375 Canby Sept. 18, 1923 1,706,638 Thomas Mar. 26, 1929 2,121,843 Vaughn June 28, 1938 2,339,343 Magnesen Jan. 18. 1944 

